CHROME MINE: USABILITY AND RAPID RESULTS
User quote: “Hovermap – embodies the core values of mine surveying, fast, accurate and reliable.”
Challenges:
A Chrome Mine in South Africa formerly used a GPS powered solution, for on-surface stockpile scanning. As much as these produced results, the mine encountered several limitations which included safety issues, it is labor intensive, connectivity issues, gaps in the scanned data, errors, and a long turnaround time.
Solutions:
The mine adopted the use of the Emesent Hovermap in, outlining a step-by-step change management process.
- Adoption of the Emesent Hovermap – March 2021
- Scan all stockpiles – 1 May 2021
- GCPs installation – 15 May 2021
- Survey of GCPs – 18 May 2021
- Exclusive use of Hovermap – 1 July 2021
Hovermap is an industry-pioneering on- and off-drone payload that provides real-time SLAM LiDAR mapping, omnidirectional collision avoidance, GPS-denied flight and advanced autonomy. The capability of the Hovermap to deliver 300,000 points per second (p/s) made it possible to achieve a high-density point cloud within 10 minutes.
Results:
Since the adaption of the Hovermap by the team at the mine they have noticed that it promotes a higher level of safety, reduce intensive labour, faster turn-around times, collection of high density sufficient data, improved data integrity, and improver data quality.
Uncleaned point cloud data
Cleaned point cloud data
Client Highlights:
- Shaved off hours of collecting data
- Reconciliation achieved in 1 day
- Less errors – no repeat measurements
- Dense data allows for overlaying of scans – orientation
- Labor decreased from +-10 to 2 people measuring all stockpiles
- Improved underground productivity – extra day for other survey activities
Future Usage:
- Fitting of Engineering Structures – in progress
- Drones
- Pillar Reporting
- 3D mapping of underground workings
- Month end measuring
